The Clearing with the Swing
by Ravenstar-of-ShadowClan
Summary: Lame title... The trees remember, even if the boys don't come anymore. One-shot.


Idontownkingdomhearts! Alright? Damn...*sniffle*

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><p>The road was no more than a trodden path worn into the grass by many feet. The dirt had been packed tight by people long-forgotten and no grass could grow anymore. It wound through the trees like a lazy snake.<p>

The trees were shedding their leaves, as they did every time this season came around. Colorful leaves littered the ground, covering the sinuous path. Most were brown, but there was a scattering of reds and yellows. The ones still on the trees were brightly colored yellows, oranges, reds, and greens.

Quiet footsteps vibrated the ground, disturbing the leaves, making them rustle and crack in the otherwise silent woods. The steady crunching indicated that the path was not as forgotten as the trees thought.

Deep in the woods, protected by the tall trees, was one old willow tree, the oldest of all, the sire of many. It sat, its twisted trunk leaning to the left, making it shorter than the younger trees. The tallest arm barely reached the lowest branch of the nearest tree. Dangling from it, surround by leaves, was an old, broken swing.

Yet the trees remembered when it was not broken. They remembered when two little boys came everyday to play. The swing was simple, a piece of plywood painted white, tied with some thick rope. Two older teens, a short blonde boy and a very tall, fiery red-headed boy, had put it up. They used once, and they left, never coming back. There, the two blonde boys found it, and came back over and over again.

The two boys were opposites. Both boys were blonde. One was taller; the other only reached his chest. He had short hair that was slicked back, and artic blue eyes. A scar cut red into his pale skin, diagonally between his eyes. The shorter boy had a healthy tan, chocolate brown eyes, and hair spiked backwards. He had a sweet nature, quick to laugh and smile. The scarred boy was gruffer, more aloof, rarely smiling or laughing. Regardless of their differences, they had been best friends since diapers.

They had been racing through the trees and had gotten lost. The brown-eyed boy was scared and crying. The usually-gruff boy was awkwardly trying to calm him down when they found the swing, swaying in the hot summer breeze. The scarred boy roughly shoved the shorted boy on, and began to push gently. The two stayed long after dark, when the police finally found the tired boys.

They returned the next day. And the next…20 seasons* passed, and it was autumn. It had been a while since the boys had been there, due to the unusual rainy weather that season. However, it had been summer-hot for quite a few days, and the boys were back to play.

As usual, the taller of the two roughly pushed the brown-eyed boy onto the swing. This time, however, the old , fraying rope could not hold the weight of the now 12-year-old boy, and broke with a terrifying _snap!_ The boy put his hands out quickly to try and break his fall, but the force of the shove and gravity were too much. A gut-wrenching _crack!_ was followed by a scream of pain and terror. Tears fell from the brown eyes staring into shocked blue. Then, the blue-eyed boy bolted-leaving the brown-eyed boy alone, scared and in pain.

That was the last time the boys came to the tree together. They came separately once. Many trees fell victim to the angry blue-eyed boy's vicious kicks and punches. The ground fed on the many crystalline tears of the brown-eyed boy. He was the one who had- with great care- carved the letters **S.A & H.D **into the bottom of the swing- much to the protest of his scarred friend, who had teased him for being 'girly', a horrendous crime to his then-10-year-old mind. Now, he ran the fingers of his incased hand over the worn letters, tears falling harder at the onslaught of happy memories until he, too, left for the last time.

Six season cycles* passed, with no one coming into the woods at all. And then, as autumn was nearing its end, and one could taste the cold in the air, they came. Separate still, but they crossed paths at the base of the old willow tree. They said nothing- they had not planned to meet and had fought viciously since they were 12. They stood awkwardly as the wind whipped at their hair. Eventually, the brown eyed boy-who was still shorter- sat, followed by the taller blue-eyed boy. They watched through the canopy as the sliver of sky they could see turned as red and yellow as the leaves on the trees, with streaks of light purple. Long after the sun set, and the stars glittered in the navy sky, the two boys left, leaving in different directions. The next evening, they returned. And the next. And the next…

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><p>*I mean seasons-winter, spring, summer, fall. They're trees, that's how they judge the passage of time.<p>

*Season cycle= a group of the 4 different seasons a.k.a a year. so, six years

This was an english essay gone beserk. i made a good grade, so i decided to share this with you all...several...months...later...*sweatdrop*

I did some editing, making it more yaoi that friendship, but take it as you will.

I 3 you all, especially if you re-vi-ew!


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